Loving Two Highlanders

by Loving Two Highlanders (lit)

  Yet she would lie in bed at night, listening to the sounds of creaking wood as he moved restlessly next door. She could do nothing but think of him. Despite trying to convince herself that everything she felt was wrong, lying beside her husband, or sometimes alone, her body vibrated with the need to be touched, caressed, taken. By the end of the first week, she dreaded even climbing into her bed.

  * * * *

  When Sam came back into the shop, he looked weary and out of sorts. Alex felt sorry for the big man. He knew Sam and MacGregor had a long history together, and watching the life drain from his friend ate at Sam like nothing Alex had ever seen. Sam slumped down on his stool and stared for a moment at the type boxes as though he’d forgotten what he was doing.

  “MacGregor settled for the afternoon?” Alex asked.

  “Aye. He’s just a little tired is all. A nap will do him a world of good.” His head snapped up, and his fingers dug into the box of type. “Don’t think we can lag behind because he’s resting. ’Cause we can’t.”

  “Wouldnae dream of it, Sam. He’s left me a pile of binding, and ’tis my intent to get it done before supper.”

  Sam sighed and nodded. “Good then.”

  Alex pulled another ledger toward him and gathered the paper he needed. He eyed Sam across the room. He seemed to have rallied a little, at least his hands had. They lay each block of type with his normal exacting precision, but his eyes seemed glazed as though seeing images he’d like to avoid.

  “How long have you been in Virginia, Sam?”

  “Oh, ’bout twenty years, I guess. I arrived with MacGregor.”

  Alex nodded. “Seemed to be a long history there, but you’re not related. Were you apprenticed to him at such a young age?”

  “Oh, no. He just…just brought me here.” Sam stared at his hands for a minute, then clenched his fists. “I was in a wee bit of trouble at the time.”

  “Been in a wee bit of trouble a time or two myself.”

  He was rewarded with a smile from Sam, a slight flicker of his lips. “I figured that out when you arrived in chains.”

  Alex laughed. “Better than not arriving at all, I suppose.”

  “I wouldn’t have arrived at all,” Sam said quietly, “or even held my life, had he not found me.”

  “Care to talk about it?”

  “Aye,” Sam said softly. He raised his face and peered at Alex. “It seems something that should be said, if for no other reason than to show you the kind of man he is.”

  “I think I’ve a clear idea of that,” Alex said, “but I’d still like to hear it.”

  Sam threw back his head and stared at the ceiling. “I’ve not thought about it in years. Haven’t had to. I’m safe here, have a good home, good friends.” Alex nodded. “But lately it’s been on my mind. I guess ’cause…well, I can feel time slipping away. I owe him for everything. I was seven or eight when I met him. A few days before that I’d been a regular boy. I’d been out doing the things a boy does in Scotland, a little bit of fun mixed with a little of living. I was hunting rabbits. I wanted to hunt bigger things, but my ma would have none of it. I’d caught a brace and was real proud of myself. I hung them on my belt and felt the tap of them as I walked home, thinking how pleased my ma would be to have a couple nights of supper.”

  “I remember doing that as a boy,” Alex said.

  “There’s nothing better than making your ma happy, but that day, as I came out of the forest, I knew something was wrong. I smelled smoke. I tore off for home, but I was too late. My father was standing outside the cottage, just staring, while the screams coming from inside poured through the wattle with the smoke. When I grabbed his arm, he batted me out of the way. I pushed him aside, yelling for help, wondering what was wrong with him. I tried to get inside. I opened the door and met a wall of fire. I fell backwards in panic, trying to beat the fire off me.”

  A sickness rolled through Alex’s stomach. “How badly were you hurt?”

  “You’d not want to see me without the beard. It’s not a pretty sight. The screams stopped as I ran toward the door again. My mother, my sister…I tore the rabbits from my belt and tossed them into the fire because I couldn’t bear to look at them. I found my father later, hoeing a row like it was another day in the Lowlands. The bloody bastard tried to ignore me, but when I forced him to look at me, he said, ‘They weren’t worth a bloody damn, Sam. We’ll build again tomorrow.’ I couldn’t get the thought of my ma and Clara out of my head. They were the only things I loved on Earth, the things that gave me the strength to live the life we eked out. Everything I did, I did for them. And the blind sodding bastard never even noticed what treasures he had.”

  “Some people are like that, Sam,” Alex said gently.

  “Maybe so,” Sam said, “but I made him pay. I don’t know what happened to me that day. I pulled my hunting knife from my belt, and I stuck it in my da’s chest, slicing down like I was skinning a rabbit. When he stared at me and slumped to the ground, I went back to the house. When the fire ate everything it could, I looked for my mother and sister. I’ll not tell you how they looked. After that I ran all the way to the coast. I was still running when I collided into a man at the dock. When the harbor master tried to grab me, I hid behind the stranger. He took one look at the blood on my clothes, at the sorry state of my face and said, ‘Sir, is there a problem with my son?’

  “That’s how I came to be here, and that’s how Trevor MacGregor saved my sorry life, such as it was. I guess that’s why when Jonas Thatcher came to work for MacGregor, I gave Meggie every piece of heart I had left. Surprisingly, it grew a little after that. I’ve not forgiven my da for what he did, or how he felt, but I’ve forgiven myself. My ma and sister deserved a lot more than they got. I’m determined Meggie gets their share. Seems only right.”

  “Seems only right to me too, Sam.”

  Sam’s face hardened as he resumed laying type. “I don’t want her hurt. I can’t do anything about MacGregor. He’s in God’s hands now, but I can fight with everything I have to keep Meggie safe and happy.”

  “I’ll do nothing to hurt her, Sam. That’s a promise.”

  “I’ll hold you to that, Campbell, ’til the day I die.”

  “Fair enough.” He ran his hand down the binding he’d done while listening to Sam’s story. He hadn’t even been aware his hands had worked while he listened. It was a good job. He’d had an excellent teacher. “Sam…”

  Sam paused and glanced toward him.

  “If there was a way to make MacGregor healthier, something that might help, would you want to try it?”

  “Bloody hell, aye. I’d try anything.” Sam glanced down. “I love him.”

  “I know,” Alex said quietly. “I’m working on something. ’Tis not finished, and I’m not even sure ’twill work.”

  “Are you a healer?”

  “No, but I’ve led men in battle and had to find ways to fix them. I’ve studied a bit on herbs, pain remedies, things of that nature. I’ve traveled, and I seek out those with more knowledge.”

  “Does this have anything to do with Meggie’s tiny lilies?”

  “The lily? Oh, aye, the flower. I’ve heard it called Our Lady’s Tears. ’Tis not a flower of Scotland. I discovered it in a small village in Ireland. They’d used it on a young man, and it had good results. If I’m right about MacGregor’s condition, it may help.”

  Sam rose slowly and walked toward the workbench. He leaned across the counter, cupped Alex’s hands in his own, and stared into his eyes. He was so close Alex saw the web of scars through the strands of his beard.

  “If you could do something like that, you would have my eternal gratitude.”

  “I cannae guarantee it, Sam.”

  “Just the thought of it makes my heart happy, Campbell. Please…do what you can.”

  * * * *

  “She’s very beautiful, isn’t she?”

  MacGregor’s voice snapped him out of whatever trance he’d been in. Watching Meg stol
e his thoughts. Alex turned from the window and found the man behind him, leaning heavily on the workbench. He rushed toward the older man and took his arm.

  “Aye, she’s a beauty,” Alex said. “Few men have such a sight in their lives. You’re a lucky man.”

  MacGregor nodded as Alex settled him into his chair. “I am indeed, though for me ’tis no different than staring at a wondrous painting.”

  Taken aback, Alex struggled to keep the shock off his face. He’d no idea MacGregor would state such a thing about his marriage. Very few men would admit to such a failing. Shrugging, he offered a smile. “You still need to take care of yourself so you’ll be here to enjoy the view.”

  “Aye, ’tis true.” MacGregor ran a hand over his chest. “To be honest, Campbell, I’ve a doubt I’ll remain here long no matter what care I take, which is why I’ve made some decisions. Some of them were easy. Some were harder than others, but I’ve given all of them very serious consideration.”

  “I hold no doubt of that, MacGregor.”

  “You’ve probably wondered why I chose you out of that motley group that came off the transport ship.”

  “Aye, I’ve wondered a time or two.”

  “I wanted an indenture to train, someone with no experience who would do things without argument. As you’ve discovered, I’m very exacting in the way I conduct business.”

  “’Tis an admirable quality.” Alex glanced around the shop. “I can see the necessity of having additional help, but any one of those men would have probably been an adequate bookbinder. I know most of them—good men all, very willing to follow orders.”

  “Aye, true enough.” He stared at Alex, studying him. “However, I had several other requirements.”

  “Which were?”

  “I wanted a man confident in his own abilities and choices,” he said quietly.

  Alex’s heart slammed into his chest, wondering where this conversation was heading. “Many of the men on that ship had been leaders.”

  “Not of your caliber. I know your history, Campbell. I know you led men into battle. I know you’re a man of principles, of loyalty and probably an honest man. You cannae command and not be such a man. Sam’s worth his weight in gold, but both he and Meg need a more stable presence in their lives. I fear when I’m gone neither of them have the strength to hold the business together and could be prey to others.”

  Alex glanced toward the window. Meg plowed a rake through her garden with a vengeance. “I don’t think you give them enough credit. Sam would do everything he can to protect your wife, and Mistress MacGregor seems very determined.”

  MacGregor chuckled. “Oh, she is, though she’s often determined to do the wrong thing.”

  “She doesnae seem that way from what I’ve seen. In your judgment, what would be the wrong thing?” Alex leaned back against the bench and folded his arms across his chest.

  MacGregor’s gaze slid down his body. “’Tis obvious she’s been avoiding you.”

  Alex frowned. “What the hell does that mean?”

  “I had a list of attributes I wanted in an indenture. Barton was watching for someone who met all my requirements. You were that man.”

  “Amenable to learning a trade? A leader of men? Is there another?”

  “Aye. There was one another.”

  “Which was?”

  MacGregor lifted his hands. “Isn’t it obvious?”

  Alex gritted his teeth and steeled himself. “No, sir, ’tis not.”

  “You can offer this family the one thing I cannot.”

  Alex shook his head and pushed away from the workbench. He strode toward the window, watching Meg fan herself with her hat. When he turned back, MacGregor still studied him.

  “You’re an attractive man, Campbell. Almost impossible for a woman to resist, I would think. Why do you think you’re really here? Why do you think I didn’t stop Meg when she came to you the first night?”

  “Christ Jesus,” Alex whispered. “You want me to fuck your wife?”

  “I want a child,” MacGregor said. “I want her to have a child. She deserves one. ’Twould make her happy.”

  “You cannae just give your wife to me.”

  “Aye, it seems I can. Though ’twas a hard choice, ’tis better than the alternative.”

  “Which was?”

  “Someone simply taking her. I chose you, Campbell, and ’tis no hardship to you. She’s a beautiful woman, and I suspect a passion-filled one. I’ve not seen that in a long while and ’twould be my dying wish to see it again, but this illness claimed me right after our marriage. I managed for a short while, but my strength didnae last long. Though I may have done her a disservice by marrying her, I also meant to protect her.”

  Alex began to pace. “I won’t do it.”

  “You’re already doing it,” MacGregor said. “I can tell you’ve fucked her at least once. I sometimes wonder how many times it’s occurred, though I try not to torture myself unnecessarily. I wish her to have as much pleasure as possible. You’ve my permission. Does it only hold pleasure for you when ’tis a forbidden thing?”

  “Of course not! But you make it sound so…simple. I can guarantee your wife isnae the kind of woman to fall for such a simple plan. She loves you.”

  “I know that,” he said. “She also feels an obligation to me, but she deserves more. I knew what would happen when I saw you. I hoped for it. You didnae seem the kind of man who would reject such a gift.”

  “’Tis not a gift if she knows nothing of the arrangement.”

  “Perhaps not,” MacGregor said quietly, “but I have another for you if you accept.”

  Alex came to a dead stop. He shoved his hands into his pockets. “What could make such an unholy mess more seemly?”

  “Your freedom, Campbell. Give us a child, let me see happiness on my wife’s face, and I’ll arrange to release the indenture a reasonable time after my death if that is still your desire.”

  A chance for freedom? Was he able to ruin a woman, toy with her affections, and cater to the whims of a dying man for a bid at freedom and a chance to return home?

  “If I desire?”

  “You may wish to stay,” MacGregor said. “You may wish…to marry her.”

  “And you’d sanction that? You’d just give me your wife in wedded bliss?”

  “If she falls in love with you, aye, I would.”

  “What happens if we destroy Meg in the process?” Alex asked.

  Trevor sighed. “I cannae see the future, Campbell. I can only direct it in certain ways.”

  Alex glanced out the window again. Meg was gone. “I’ll accept your gifts then, MacGregor. If you’ll agree I can do a little directing of my own.”

  Trevor’s brow rose. “What’s on your mind, Campbell?”

  “I’m working on some experiments. If they work, I want your word you’ll consider what I offer.”

  Trevor put out his hand. “Agreed.”

  Chapter 6

  The moment Sam had Trevor settled into the wagon and she waved good-bye to them, she steeled herself and pushed open the door to the shop. It slammed behind her, and for one moment she was surprised by the darkness. The fire in the hearth glowed softly, but she couldn’t see a damned thing beyond the half-wall. He had to be in here. There wasn’t anywhere else he could be, except in his bed.

  His voice drifted out of the darkness and seemed to caress her body.

  “Mistress MacGregor. If you’re looking for your husband, he’s already left for the meeting.”

  A solitary candle sparked, and a glow flickered on one of the workbenches. A huge shadow loomed on the opposite wall. She stormed across the room from memory, swinging the gate open so hard it crashed against the wall. As she neared the light, Campbell glanced up. He looked unperturbed, as though seeing her in a furious state was common, almost expected.

  “I was looking for you,” she snapped.

  “Truly? I’m flattered.”

  “Don’t be. We need to talk. This si
tuation is not working. I know nothing about what is going on in this shop anymore, and that disturbs me because until recently I knew everything that happened in this business.”

  “You’d know what happens if you cared enough to visit from time to time.” A teasing smile twisted his mouth. “In daylight hours, when we’re actually open for business.”

  He paused and stared at the ceiling. He tapped his chin and pursed his lips as though searching for some answer that he couldn’t quite capture. Megan watched him, her anger boiling almost to the point of explosion. The man was so dramatic at times.

  He frowned at her. “There must be a reason for it. Let me think. Oh, aye, I have it! Coming into the shop would mean you might have to see me, converse with me, perhaps even come near me.”

  “You’re being ridiculous,” she snapped.

  He leaned forward. “And ’tis fairly obvious, wench, you cannae handle it.”

  “Don’t flatter yourself, Campbell.”

  “I cannae help it if you’re a bit of a coward, lass.”

  She slammed her hands down on the workbench, and the candle fluttered. His shadow flickered eerily on the wall. “I am not!”

  He settled on his stool. “You are, but we’ll save that discussion. Would you like me to enlighten you as to the state of business, mistress?”

  She took a step closer, leaned against the counter, and shook her head. What was he talking about? “Business?”

  “’Tis why you came, is it not?”

  “Of course,” she said, lifting her chin. “What other reason would I have?”

  “None that you would admit to,” Campbell said. “So, ’tis business we’ll speak of. Well, just this morning, we had a visit from the governing council and stand to make a small fortune because apparently they’ve passed some new laws. As a convict, I am most interested in what kinds of law these might be, and being the only printer in town has some advantages, as I shall know them well ahead of others. Wouldnae want to get myself into more trouble by violating a new law, however unintentional.”